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Military Causes
By the early 5th century many independent groups were at Rome’s gates simultaneously. The mishandling of the early Gothic invasions led to a multi-faceted military disaster. The approach of multiple invading armies was a catastrophic event that would have been difficult for any empire to handle.
Supporting arguments · 2
- Overstretching led to a reliance on foreign troopsBy the 4th century, Rome was struggling to pay for and recruit its enormous military. As a result, it came to rely increasingly on outside militia groups. The Romans attempted to use the Goths who invaded their lands in their army, with disastrous results.
- Barbarian InvasionsMany barbarian warbands crossed the Rhine-Danube border into the Roman Empire, causing widespread chaos. Attempts to defend against or integrate these groups failed. The 5th-century invasions were a catastrophic event.